The Twelfth Chapter

The state of the church hath two periods, The primitive times including the first four centuries, and The times of Antichrist: the former may be divided thus, The state of the church until Constantino, the first Christian emperor; and thence under the Avian and other emperors: the latter thus, The state of the false church, under the Pope its head; and that of the true church, during the time of that Antichrist, under Christ its head. Now as c. xiii. xiv. shew the state of the church since the rise of the

Pope, so this chapter shews its state since, (and that under the two said eminent conditions,) 1st, Under Rome Pagan, until the con version of the empire by Constantine, (v. 1 — 12,) represented by a woman bringing forth a male child, (that is a Christian emperor,) to rule all nations; wherein she is opposed by a dragon, (the devil in the power of an Heathen emperor,) endeavouring to devour her child. The vision and appearance of this woman is such as to fit only the pure primitive state of the church; for though so weak a vessel, yet is she gloriously clothed with the Sun of righteousness; and being honored at her first rise with the preaching of the twelve apostles, and holding forth the light of their doctrine, she binds them on her head as a crown of twelve stars; and being above the world, and the rage of Heathenish persecutions, and all things sublunary, (for “they loved not their lives unto death,” v. 1 1,) the moon is therefore said to be under her feet. Amidst the pangs and throes of ten sore persecutions, she labours with God night and day to bring forth a succession of Christian emperors, who setting Christ to rule in their throne, shall throw down Heathenism from the imperial state, so long subject to the rule of Satan’s throne, and therefore represented throughout the Revelation as a seven-headed and ten-horned dragon. But while the devil is visibly and openly acting the empire, the church at length prevails to obtain, through the help of Michael and his angels, (i. e. Christ and the apostles, and preachers of their gospel,) his precipitating from the throne, his heaven where he was worshipped as God. 2dly, Is the state of the true church, (v. 13 — 17,) when the Roman world was turned - Christian for the first century, after Constantine; which church was persecuted as much also by the heretical, as she had been by the Heathen emperors; besides being nearly ruined by the multitude of carnal professors; and from these she hastes to flee into the wilderness of a hidden retired condition; and in her flight she hath a flood of Arian persecution sent after her to drown her; but the earth, (i. e. the Goths and Vandals, under the first trumpet,) came in accidentally, and through God’s providence, helped her by breaking the Arian faction, and thus swallowing up thejlood.